System and method for using an image to obtain search results

ABSTRACT

A system and method compares an image of an object of interest captured by an image capturing device from a first positional view relative to the object of interest against each of a plurality of images of each of a plurality of reference objects wherein each of the plurality of images of each of the plurality of reference objects is reflective of a unique positional view of the corresponding one of the plurality of reference objects to determine a second positional view relative to the object of interest at which the image capturing device is to be positioned to capture a further image of the product of interest. The further image of the product of interest is then compared against one or more of the plurality of images of one or more of the plurality of reference objects to identify at least one of the plurality of reference objects as being a match for the object of interest whereupon information about the one or more reference objects identified as being a match for the object of interest is provided to a user as a product search result.

BACKGROUND

Image recognition systems are generally known. By way of example, U.S.Pat. No. 5,267,332 describes a method and apparatus in which images arecharacterized and compared on the basis of internal structure, which isindependent of image size and image orientation. A library of referenceimages is first generated and stored. Thereafter, each input image, ortest image, is compared to the images stored in the library until amatch is found. The image is represented in memory as nodes, lines, andcurves. A plurality of descriptors, called to reference keys andreference series, are generated for both the reference images and thetest image. The reference library is screened for likely matches bycomparing the descriptors for the test image to the descriptors in thereference images in the library. Inclusionary and exclusionary tests areperformed. After screening, each candidate reference image is searchedby comparing the pathway through the reference image and the pathwaythrough the test image, and by the degree of correlation between thereference and test images. In addition, the link ratio, a measure of theportion of the test image actually matched to the reference image iscomputed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following generally describes a system and method for using an imageof an object of interest to obtain search results from an imagerecognition system. More particularly, a system and method is describedthat functions to direct a user to one or more image capturing positionsrelative to the object of interest to thereby allow the user to obtainone or more images of the object of interest for submission to a searchrecognition system such that the search recognition system will provideimproved search results.

While the forgoing provides a general explanation of the subject systemand method, a better understanding of the objects, advantages, features,properties and relationships of the subject system and method will beobtained from the following detailed description and accompanyingdrawings which set forth illustrative embodiments and which areindicative of the various ways in which the principles of the subjectsystem and method may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the subject invention, reference may behad to preferred embodiments shown in the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of an exemplarynetwork system in which the subject method may be employed;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary reference object image collection storedin a data repository of the system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary method for performing a imagerecognition search using the system shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary user interface for instructing a userhow to move a portable device to capture a further image for submissionto the image recognition system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the figures, a system and method is hereinafterdescribed that functions to direct a user to one or more image capturingpositions relative to an object of interest to thereby allow the user toobtain one or more images of the object of interest for submission to asearch recognition system such that the search recognition system willprovide improved search results, i.e., more meaningful search results.While not intended to be limiting, the system and method will bedescribed in the context of a plurality of processing devices linked viaa network, such as a local area network or a wide area network, asillustrated in FIG. 1. In this regard, a mobile computing device 20,such as a tablet computing device, cellular phone, personal digitalassistant, or the like, having a camera for use in capturing an image ofan object of interest (e.g., a visual light-based image, aninfrared-light based image, or the like) as well as conventionalcomputing components as needed, is provided with executable instructionsto, for example, provide a means for a user to access a remoteprocessing device, i.e., a server system 68, via the network to, amongother things, perform a search via use of an image recognition capablesearch engine supported by the remote processing device and to displaysearch results obtained from the image recognition capable searchengine. Generally, the computer executable instructions reside inprogram modules which may include routines, programs, objects,components, data structures, an “app,” etc. that perform particulartasks or implement particular abstract data types. Furthermore, whiledescribed and illustrated in the context of a single mobile computingdevice 20, those skilled in the art will also appreciate that thevarious tasks described hereinafter may be practiced in a distributed orcloud-like environment having multiple processing devices linked via alocal or wide-area network whereby the executable instructions may beassociated with and/or executed by one or more of multiple processingdevices.

As noted, the mobile computing device 20 preferably utilizes logicalconnections to one or more remote processing devices, such as the serversystem 68 having one or more associated data repositories 68A, e.g.,storing a repository of reference images for use by the imagerecognition capable search engine, a database of product information,etc. In this regard, while the server system 68 has been illustrated inthe exemplary form of a computer, it will be appreciated that the serversystem 68 may, like processing device 20, be any type of device havingprocessing capabilities. Again, it will be appreciated that the serversystem 68 need not be implemented as a single device but may beimplemented in a manner such that the tasks performed by the serversystem 68 are distributed to a plurality of processing devices linkedthrough a communication network, e.g., implemented in the cloud.Additionally, the server system 68 may have logical connections to otherthird party server systems via the network 12 as needed and, via suchconnections, will be associated with data repositories that areassociated with such other third party server systems.

To provide search results to a user, the server system 68 will haveaccess to an image recognition capable search engine which will attemptto locate likely matches for an object image, e.g., an image uploaded tothe server system 68. To this end, the image recognition capable searchengine utilizes one or more known image recognition techniques, such aswavelet transformation techniques, intensity-based or feature-basedtechniques, orientation-invariant feature descriptor techniques,scale-invariant feature transformation techniques, etc. to determine ifone or more reference images in a library of reference images, e.g.,maintained in data repository 68A, matches or is similar to the objectimage. Because examples of devices adapted to perform image recognitionthrough use of one or more of techniques may be found in US PublishedApplication No. 2009/0161968, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,639,881, and 5,267,332,among other references, the details of how such devices operate need notbe explained in greater detail herein.

To improve upon the likelihood that the image recognition capable searchengine will be able to find a match for an object of interest (e.g., aproduct being sold by a vendor), the system and method describedhereinafter will, as needed, function to direct a user to one or moreimage capturing positions relative to an object of interest to therebyallow the user to obtain one or more images of the object of interestfor submission to the image recognition capable search engine. To thisend, the data repository 68A is first preloaded with a plurality ofreference images for each of a plurality of objects. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 2, the data repository 68A may store a firstreference image 30A for a first object, a second reference image 30B forthe first object, a third reference image 30C for the first object, afourth reference image 30D for the first object, etc., a first referenceimage 32A for a second object, a second reference image 32B for thesecond object, a third reference image 32C for the second object, afourth reference image 32D for the second object, etc, a first referenceimage 34A for a third object, a second reference image 34B for the thirdobject, a third reference image 34C for the third object, a fourthreference image 34D for the third object, etc. Each reference image willbe cross-referenced within the data repository to the correspondingobject information and, in this manner, may be cross-referenced toadditional information concerning that object, such as a product stockkeeping unit number, pricing information, availability, product datasheets and the like as are commonly provided by e-commerce vendors.

Within the data repository, each reference image for a given object isfurther cross-referenced with orientation information that functions todefine a location relative to the object from which the reference imagewas captured. By way of example, the orientation information thatfunctions to define the location relative to the object from which thereference image was captured may be simple technical drawing data thatdescribes the view shown in the reference images. Thus, in thisinstance, for the first object, the first reference image 30A may becross referenced to data which indicates that the reference image 30A isa “left side elevation view” of the object, the second reference image30B may be crossed referenced to data which indicates that the referenceimage 30B is a “front side elevation view” of the object, the thirdreference image 30C may be crossed referenced to data which indicatesthat the reference image 30C is a “rear side elevation view” of theobject, the fourth reference image 30D may be crossed referenced to datawhich indicates that the reference image 30D is an “orthogonal view ofthe top, front, and left side” of the object, etc. By way of furtherexample, the orientation information that functions to define thelocation relative to the object from which the reference image wascaptured may be three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate data that isindicative of an approximate point in space relative to a part of theobject at which the image was captured. Thus, in the instance, for thefirst object, the first reference image 30A may be cross referenced todata which indicates that the reference image 30A was captured atapproximately point X1, Y1, Z1 relative to the object, the secondreference image 30B may be crossed referenced to data which indicatesthat the reference image 30B was captured at approximately point X2, Y2,Z2 relative to the object, the third reference image 30C may be crossedreferenced to data which indicates that the reference image 30C wascaptured at approximately point X3, Y3, Z3 relative to the object, thefourth reference image 30D may be crossed referenced to data whichindicates that the reference image 30D was captured at approximatelypoint X4, Y4, Z4 relative to the object, etc. In any case, it will beappreciated that such data functions to define spatial relationshipsbetween the reference images for a given object.

Within the data repository, each reference image for a given object isfurther cross-referenced with data that is indicative of a measure ofthe visual complexity of that image. By way of example, the data can bea numerical value that is indicative of the number of edges shown in thereference image, the number of colors shown in the reference image,and/or the like. In this regard, it will be appreciated that distinctivefeatures such as logos applied to products, trade dress applied toproducts, barcodes applied to products and the like will provide degreesof visual complexity that will assist the system in differentiatingbetween possible matches of an object of interest and reference objectswithin the database. Since numerous different methods for assigningvisual complexity values to images are known in the art, such methodswill not be described herein for the sake of brevity.

With the above information stored in the data repository 68A, the systemand method functions to provide more meaningful search results byperforming the steps generally shown in FIG. 3. More particularly, auser will first use the mobile computing device 20 to capture an imageof an object of interest and will provide the captured image to serversystem 68 via use of the network 12. Upon receiving the image of theobject of interest, the programming resident on the server system 68,particularly the image recognition capable search engine, will attemptto determine if the provided image of the reference object uniquelymatches (or uniquely closely matches) any reference object imagescontained within the data repository 68A. If a unique match is found,the user may be returned information that has been associated with thematched object image, such as product cost, product availability, or thelike as discussed above.

In the case where the provided image of the object of interest does notuniquely match (or uniquely closely match) a reference object imagewithin the data repository, for example, the user submits an image thatthe system determines is a match for reference object image 30A, 32A,and 34A shown in FIG. 2, the system will then evaluate the visualcomplexity of the related, remaining images, in this case each of images30B, 30C, 30D, etc. that are related to matched reference image 30A,each of images 32B, 32C, 32D, etc. that are related to matched referenceimage 32A, and images 34B, 34C, 34D, etc. that are related to matchedreference image 34A, to determine a further image view of the object ofinterest that should be submitted to the server system 68 forprocessing. By way of example, the system may determine that, for eachsimilar view of a reference object, the “front elevation view” of theobjects shown in each of reference images 30B, 32B, and 32C have themost diverse visual complexity associated therewith, e.g., the “frontside elevation view” of the products shown in the reference images havedistinctive trademarks, distinctive logos or nameplates, distinctivecolor combinations, distinctive edge and line characteristics,distinctive heat profiles, etc., and, as such, the user may be informedthat a number of possible matches have been discerned for the “left sideelevation view” provided while being instructed to move the camera to alocation such that an equivalent “front side elevation view” of theobject of interest may be captured for uploading to the server system 68for processing by the image recognition capable search engine asgenerally shown in FIG. 4. In this case, because of the varied visualcomplexity in these like views of the objects shown in the referenceobject images, it is likely that one further image submission will allowthe system to determine a match between a one of the reference objectsand the object of interest. In a further example, the system maydetermine that a one of the reference object images related to the matchreference object images has the highest visual complexity, e.g., off allthe related reference object images, reference object image 32D has thehighest visual complexity, and may likewise prompt the user to capturean image of the object of interest with a view that corresponds to theview in that reference object image.

In the event that a second (or third or further) submitted image of theobject of interest does not result in a unique reference object imagematch, the server system 68 may again examine the visual complexity ofthe remaining reference object images to again suggest a further imagefor the user to capture and submit for processing. For example, if theuser has submitted what is determined by the system to be a “left sideelevation view” and a “front side elevation view” of the object ofinterest with no good match being the result, the visual complexity ofthe remaining views for the reference object images may be evaluated forfurther image taking directions in keeping with the above description.This process may continue until no further views are available forevaluation and/or until a maximum predetermined number of matches forthe images submitted are found. In this instance, the user may bepresented with search results that correspond to more than one productwith the user then being provided with an opportunity to further filter,evaluate, or the like such information in keeping with conventionale-commerce practices.

In instances where the orientation information maintained within thedata repository 68A is defined using Cartesian coordinates, the systemmay use location determining functionality resident on the mobilecomputing device 20, e.g., accelerometers and associated programming, toguide the user to an approximate location at which the next image of theobject of interest should be captured. For example, in the example wherea user submits an image of an object of interest which the systemdetermines is a match for reference object images 30A, 32A, and 34A,which means that the image capturing device of the portable computingdevice 20 was positioned generally at location X1, Y1, Z1 relative tothe object of interest when the image was captured, the system may usethe location determining functionality of the portable computing device20 to graphically instruct the user, using arrows, text, or the likeindicium 400 a/400 b displayed on the display screen as shown in FIG. 4(which may be overlayed upon an image of the object of interest that iscurrently being captured by the camera), sounds, or other queues, suchthat the image capturing device of the portable computing device 20 ismoved from about location X1, Y1, Z1 relative to the object of interestto about location X2, Y2, Z2 relative to the object of interest, e.g.,the orientation information associated with the views that weredetermined to have the greatest visual complexity differences or thelike, in keeping the methodology described above. It is alsocontemplated that the mobile computing device can be caused toautomatically capture the image for submission to the system once it isdetermined that the mobile computing device 20 has been moved to thedesired location relative to the object of interest.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the described system andmethod functions to improve the operability of a computer system. Forexample, by directing a user to capture one or more specific images ofan object of interest, the system and method reduces the submission byusers of images that are not likely to lead to meaningful searchresults. This, in turn, reduces the need for the system to perform“useless” image recognition on such images which ultimately functions tofree-up the system whereby more “meaningful” search requests receivedfrom users may be processed. In addition, by directing the user tosubmit images that are more likely to result in meaningful searchresults, data traffic on the network can be reduced to the benefit ofthe user (particularly where the user has a limited cellular data plan)and the system operator. Still further, time will be saved on the partof the user as the user's mobile device will not have to spend as muchtime uploading images to the network.

While various concepts have been described in detail, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications andalternatives to those concepts could be developed in light of theoverall teachings of the disclosure. In this regard, while described inthe context of finding a match for a product of interest, it will beappreciated that the functionality described herein could be used toinstruct a user to move a camera to capture images of an environment foruse in further refining search results. For example, directional arrowscan request the user to move down a hallway, or to pan left, right, upat the ceiling, or down at the floor. In this way, a betterunderstanding is established of what type of environment the user is in.It could be a boiler room, a foyer with elevator shafts, a garage, etc.This type of image recognition allows for better search results when anobject is searched for in that environment, e.g., when a complete imageset is collected from inside a restroom, it can be discerned that therestroom has low-flow toilets and this type of information mightestablish the building to be a LEED building such that, when visualsearching for sink faucets, the extra piece of information that thebuilding is LEED can help narrow search results to only auto-shutofffaucets.

Still further, it will be appreciated that the system described hereinmay also be caused to issue an instruction to increase or decrease azoom level of the camera when taking the next image for submission tothe system, to issue an instruction to use a flash when taking the nextimage for submission to the system, to place an object next to theobject of interest for scaling purposes when taking the next image forsubmission to the system, to use a strobe light when taking the nextimage for submission to the system (particularly when it is determinedthat the object of interest has one or more moving components), etc.without limitation. As discussed herein, such instructions may be usedto cause the camera to automatically take the picture(s) desired.

Yet further, while various aspects of this invention have been describedin the context of functional modules and illustrated using block diagramformat, it is to be understood that, unless otherwise stated to thecontrary, one or more of the described functions and/or features may beintegrated in a single physical device and/or a software module, or oneor more functions and/or features may be implemented in separatephysical devices or software modules. It will also be appreciated that adetailed discussion of the actual implementation of each module is notnecessary for an enabling understanding of the invention. Rather, theactual implementation of such modules would be well within the routineskill of an engineer, given the disclosure herein of the attributes,functionality, and inter-relationship of the various functional modulesin the system. Therefore, a person skilled in the art, applying ordinaryskill, will be able to practice the invention set forth in the claimswithout undue experimentation.

It will be additionally appreciated that the particular conceptsdisclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to thescope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of theappended claims and any equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for providing a product search result,comprising: comparing, by use of an image recognition capable searchengine, an image of an object of interest captured by an image capturingdevice from a first positional view relative to the object of interestagainst each of a plurality of images of each of a plurality ofreference objects to obtain an image search result, wherein each of theplurality of images of each of the plurality of reference objects isreflective of a unique positional view of the corresponding one of theplurality of reference objects; using the image search result obtainedby the step of comparing to determine a second positional view relativeto the object of interest at which the image capturing device is to bepositioned; sending an instruction to the image capturing device tocause the image capturing device to present an indicium to assist a userin moving the image capturing device to approximately the secondpositional view relative to the object of interest; comparing, by use ofthe image recognition capable search engine, an image of the object ofinterest captured by the image capturing device from approximately thesecond positional view relative to the object of interest against one ormore of the plurality of images of one or more of the plurality ofreference objects to obtain a product search result, the product searchresult identifying at least one of the plurality of reference objects asbeing a match for the object of interest; and providing informationabout the one or more reference objects identified as being a match forthe object of interest to the user as the product search result.
 2. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicium comprises one or moreimages displayed in a display of the image capturing device.
 3. Themethod as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicium comprises one or moresounds caused to be emitted from the image capturing device.
 4. Themethod as recited in claim 1, comprising using a movement sensing deviceassociated with the image capturing device to assist a user in movingthe image capturing device from approximately the first positional viewto approximately the second positional view.
 5. The method as recited inclaim 4, comprising causing the image capturing device to automaticallycapture the image of the object of interest from approximately thesecond positional view.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein theimage capturing device comprises a camera for capturing visible-lightimagery.
 7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the imagecapturing device comprises a camera for capturing non-visible-lightimagery.
 8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein the imagecapturing device comprises a camera for capturing infrared lightimagery.
 9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the imagerecognition capable search engine uses a visual complexity associatedwith each of the plurality of images of each of the plurality ofreference objects when determining the second positional view relativeto the object of interest at which the image capturing device is to bepositioned.
 10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the firstpositional view and the second positional view are referenced using atechnical drawing reference system.
 11. The method as recited in claim1, wherein the first positional view and the second positional view arereferenced using a Cartesian coordinate reference system.
 12. The methodas recited in claim 1, wherein the information about the one or morereference objects identified as being a match for the object of interestcomprises at least one of a product stock keeping unit number, productpricing information, product availability information, and a productdata sheet.